Social science

Social science (or the social sciences) is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among members within those societies. Originally, it was closely linked to sociology, the study of society, which began in the 18th century. Over time, social science has grown to include many other areas of study.

Today, social science covers a wide range of academic disciplines such as anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, history, linguistics, management, communication studies, psychology, culturology, and political science.

Most social scientists use methods similar to those in the natural sciences to understand how societies work. Others focus more on interpreting meanings and ideas. In modern times, many researchers use a mix of different methods and tools, including computer analysis and large data sets, to better understand how people behave, especially online. This shared work is often called social research.

History

Main article: History of the social sciences

The study of social sciences began during the Age of Enlightenment after 1651. This was a time when people started to think differently about science and how we understand the world. Social sciences grew from moral philosophy and were shaped by big changes like the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution.

Early ideas about social sciences appeared in old books, and the words "social science" were first used in French in 1767. Over time, many new areas of study joined together under social sciences, like studying groups of people, how they behave, and how they make decisions. Today, social sciences include many different fields such as economics, psychology, and political science.

Branches

The social science disciplines are areas of knowledge studied and researched at the college or university level. These fields are defined by the academic journals where research is published and the learned societies and academic departments to which their practitioners belong. Social science fields usually have several sub-disciplines or branches, and the lines between these are often unclear. The following are widely-considered to be social sciences:

• Accounting
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Archival science
• Area studies
• Behavioural science
• Business administration
• Business studies
• Cartography
• Cognitive science
• Commerce
• Communication studies
• Crime science
• Criminology
• Cultural studies
• Culturology
• Demography
• Development studies
• Discourse analysis
• Economics
• Education
• Education science
• Environmental science
• Environmental social science
• Environmental studies
• Ethnobotany
• Ethnography
• Ethnology
• Finance
• Folklore studies
• Futures studies
• Gender studies
• Geography
• Global studies
• History
• Home economics
• Human resource management
• Industrial relations
• Information sciences
• International relations
• Journalism
• Landscape ecology
• Law
• Legal management
• Library science
• Linguistics
• Management
• Management science
• Marketing
• Media studies
• Military science
• Organizational behavior
• Organizational studies
• Paralegal studies
• Philology
• Philosophy
• Political science
• Public administration
• Public health
• Public policy
• Public relations
• Psychology
• Religious studies
• Social work
• Sociology
• Strategic studies
• Strategic management
• Sustainable development
• Sustainability studies
• Theology

Anthropology

Main articles: Anthropology and Outline of anthropology

Anthropology is the study of humans and human existence. It looks at many parts of human life, bringing together ideas from different areas of study. In the past, people thought of anthropology as one big field, but now it is often split into four parts: archaeology, physical or biological anthropology, anthropological linguistics, and cultural anthropology. Anthropologists try to understand humans by looking at biology, language, history, and culture all together.

Communication studies

Main articles: Communication studies and History of communication studies

Communication studies looks at how people share ideas and messages. It covers everything from talking face-to-face to using television and other media. This field looks at how messages are sent, received, and understood in different situations.

Economics

Main articles: Economics and Outline of economics

Economics studies how people make, share, and use resources. It looks at decisions about what to produce, how to produce it, and who gets it. Economics has two main parts: microeconomics, which looks at individual choices, and macroeconomics, which looks at whole economies.

Education

Main articles: Education and Outline of education

Education is about teaching and learning. It includes sharing knowledge and skills, as well as helping people grow and develop. Education draws on many areas of study, such as psychology, philosophy, computer science, linguistics, neuroscience, sociology, and anthropology.

Geography

Main articles: Geography and Outline of geography

Geography studies the Earth and its people. It has two main parts: human geography, which looks at how people use and shape the land, and physical geography, which studies natural features like mountains, rivers, and climate. Geography also looks at how humans and the environment interact.

History

Main articles: History and Outline of history

History is the study of past events and how they have shaped our world. It looks at people, societies, and changes over time. History is often considered part of the humanities, but it also uses methods from the social sciences.

Law

Main articles: Law and Outline of law

Law studies the rules that societies use to organize themselves. These rules can come from governments, traditions, or other sources. Law looks at how rules are made, applied, and change over time. It connects to many other areas of study, such as politics, philosophy, history, and economics.

Linguistics

Main articles: Linguistics and Outline of linguistics

Linguistics studies language and how people use it. It looks at the structure of sentences, meaning, sounds, and how language changes over time. Linguistics also studies how language works in social contexts and how people learn to speak.

Political science

Main articles: Political science, Outline of political science, and Politics

Political science studies governments, politics, and how societies make decisions. It looks at political systems, ideas, and behavior. Political science includes topics like international relations, public policy, and the role of leaders.

Psychology

Main articles: Psychology and Outline of psychology

Psychology studies how people think, feel, and behave. It looks at both the mind and actions, and how they are connected. Psychology has many areas, such as studying how people learn, how they solve problems, and how they interact with others.

Sociology

Main articles: Sociology and Outline of sociology

Sociology studies societies and how people live together. It looks at groups, communities, and institutions, and how they shape people's lives. Sociology examines topics like social class, family, education, and how societies change over time.

Additional fields of study

See also: Auxiliary sciences of history

Additional applied or interdisciplinary fields related to the social sciences include:

• Archaeology, which studies human cultures by examining old objects, buildings, and landscapes.
• Area studies, which research different parts of the world and their cultures.
• Behavioural science, which looks at how living things act and interact in nature.
• Computational social science, which uses computers to study social science topics.
• Demography, which studies populations and how they change.
• Development studies, which looks at ways to help countries grow and improve.
• Environmental social science, which studies how people and nature affect each other.
• Environmental studies, which looks at the relationship between humans and nature.
• Gender studies, which studies different ways people see gender roles and identities, including transgender topics.
• Information science, which studies how to collect, organize, and share information.
• International studies, which covers topics like global issues and international education.
• Legal management, which studies how laws and governments work.
• Library science, which helps manage and share information in libraries.
• Management, which studies how to lead and organize groups of people to reach goals.
• Marketing, which studies how to understand what people want and how to meet those needs.
• Political economy, which studies how production, trade, and laws are connected.
• Public administration, which studies how governments and non-governmental organizations work to help people.
• Religious studies and Western esoteric studies, which study religious and spiritual topics using social science methods.

Methodology

Social research

Main article: Social research

Social research started a long time ago, even back in 1086 with the Domesday Book. It became more organized in the 1800s with new ideas about science. Today, social research is used by many different fields to study people and societies.

Social scientists use many ways to study people. They might look at big groups using surveys, or study one person in detail. They also look at what’s happening around them and read old documents. They use numbers and facts to understand these topics better.

Theory

Main article: Social theory

Some thinkers focus on how personal feelings and thoughts affect research. They talk about many ideas like how society and culture work, gender equality, and how history shapes our world today. These ideas help us understand different parts of life and how people behave together.

Education and degrees

Many universities offer degrees in social science fields. The Bachelor of Social Science is a special degree focused just on social sciences, and it is often more flexible and detailed than other degrees that include social science topics.

In the United States, students studying social sciences might earn a Bachelor of Arts degree, especially if their field is one of the traditional liberal arts like history. Sometimes they can earn a Bachelor of Science degree, like those from the London School of Economics, because social sciences are one of the two main types of science, the other being the natural sciences. Some schools also offer specific degrees such as a Bachelor of Economics, though these are less common in the United States.

Graduate students can earn a master's degree, such as a Master of Arts, Master of Science, or a degree focused on a particular area like Master of Public Administration. They can also earn a doctoral degree, for example a PhD.

People associated with the social sciences

Many smart people have helped us understand societies and how people interact. Some well-known names include Al-Kindi, Augustine, Franz Boas, Manuel Castells, Confucius, Wade Davis, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Louis Dumont. Others like Norbert Elias, Friedrich Engels, Frantz Fanon, and Milton Friedman have also made important contributions.

The list continues with thinkers such as Anthony Giddens, Erving Goffman, Thomas Hobbes, and Arlie Hochschild. Many more, including David Hume, Marie Jahoda, John Maynard Keynes, and Ibn Khaldun, have helped shape our understanding of how people live together.